Improvement in plants and processes for the manufacture of charcoal and pyroligneous



y H.L..BR00KE. Plant and Process for the Manufacture of Charcoal andPyroligneous Acid.

- No. 211,376. Patented-1am@1879.

witnesses, ixwenter mwen.

NFEI'ERS, FHOTO-UTHOGRAFHEN, WASHINGTON. E)A l)4 way unions fitted `withcocks d'.

UNITED STATE s PAT nur union',

HORACE L. BROOKE, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

IMPRDVEMENT IN PLANTS AND PROCESSES FOR THE MANUFACTUREOF CHARCOAL ANDPYROLIGNEOUS ACID.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,376, dated January14, 1879 application filed November 26, 1878.

To all 'whom it may concern: v i

Be it known that I, Hennen L. BROOKE, of Baltimore city, State ofMaryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Plantsand Processes for the Manufacture of Charcoal and Pyroligneous Acid 5and I hercby declare the same to be fully, clearly, and exactlydescribed as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which- Figure l is a plan View `of the entire plant. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the kiln and condenser; Fig. 3, a central sectional view ofthe acid-receiver; and Fig. 4i is a transverse sectional view, showingthe attachments of the pipes to the kiln.

This invention relates to apparatus and processes for the manufacture ofpyroligneous acid by heating wood; and consists, iirst,'in certaindetails of construction of the apparatus, and, second, in the process ofmanufacture, as hereinafter specifically indicated.

Referring to the first part 'of my invention, as'illustrated in theaccompanying drawings,

` A represents a charcoal-kiln of the usual construction, and B brepresent a steam-engine and air-blast apparatus, such as are ordinarilyused in connection with a common blast-furnace. The pi pe from theair-cylinders leads into areceiver, b', fitted with a safety-valve, c,so as to deliver the air at any desired pressure to the kiln. Pipes G C,communicating with the exit-pipe from the receiver by means of athree-way union and cock, c', pass to either side of the kiln. From theblast-holes of the latter (arranged at different levels) lead inclinedpipes d, communicating with mains B, that lead to the condenser.Branches c" from the main air-pipes communicate with the inclined pipesd, being joined also by three- The mains D are joined behind the kiln,and form a worm, e, of steadily-diminishing size in the watertank orcondenser E. From the latter an exitpipe delivers the condensed matterand gases into a receiver, F, arranged to separate the liquid from thegaseous matters, the former passing into suitable clarifiers orlime-trays by means of a pipe, G. The construction of the receiverisshown in Fig. 3.

It will be noticed that the exit-pipe dips below the surface of theliquid, preventing escape of gas in that direction. All of theuncondensed products pass off through the pipe f, to be utilized as mayseem desirable. A liquid seal is formed where the pipe c joins thereceiver by means of the annular concentric fiangesf'f, between whichthe end of the pipe e fits. the external one, so as to shed anycondensed matter into the vessel F.

Such is, in general terms, a description of the construction of thedevice. Its mode of operation, constituting the second part of myinvention, is as follows: The kiln bein g charged with wood through thedoors c' a, fire is started through the upper door, c, in the usualmanner. As soon as the fire is lighted, a blast of air is driven throughone of the pipes C into the kiln, in order to get the combustion wellunder way. This being done, but just sufficient air is let into the kilnto support combustion in a part ofthe wood enough to char the rest, theproducts of combustion and distillation passing out through the pipes dand into the main D, or the side opposite to that on which the blast isapplied. By reversing the cocks the direction of the blast is altered atwill, as may seem desirable. From the main D the gases pass to the wormc, which has a steady pitch to facilitate discharge, and, being thereincondensed as far as practicable, pass into the receiver F. Here the gaspasses 0E through the pipef, and the pyroligneous acid, mixed withcertain tarry matters and impurities, is carried, by means of the pipeG, to the clariers or lime-troughs. With its subsequent treatment mypresent invention has nothing to do.

The process described results in the production of more charcoal from agiven quantity of wood than is possible with a retort, the process iscomplete in a much shorter time, and is completely under the control ofthe operator.

I am aware that it is not new, broadly, to condense and save thepyroligneous products from a charcoalkiln, as apparatus designed toaccomplish that end has long been in use, the distilled matters beingled from lthe kiln to suitable condensers, in which the acid iscondensed by cold or pressure, or both, but I The internal flange islower than i am not aware, and do not believe, that heretofore anair-blast of graduated intensity has been forced into a kiln providedwith suitable condensing apparatus, and such is the salient feature ofmy invention.

It is obvious that results attend the use of the said invention whichhave heretofore been unattainable with the devices already in use.

I am enabled to retain the process completely under control, as theamount of air delivered to the kiln may be altered as the stage of theprocess or occasion requires.

l. The process herein described of manufacturing charcoal andpyroligneous acid, the said process consisting in forcing into acharcoal-kiln a quantity of air sufficient to support combustion of apart of its contents, and thereby char the rest, and condensing andrecovering the pyroligneous acid and vapors, substantially as described.

2. The combination, as described, of the following elements: acharcoal-kiln, mechanism for forcing a blast of air thereinto, and acondenser, substantially as described.

3. In combination with the kiln A, the pipes C c cl and mains D,substantially as described.

4. In combination with the kiln A, the airblast mechanism, air-pipes,pipes for the products of combustion and distillation, and a condenser,substantially as set forth.

5. rEhe receiver F, having liquid seal, as described, pipe f, and curvedpipe Gr, substantially as set forth.

HORACE L. BROOKE.

Witnesses: I

R. D. WILLIAMS, G. H. WILLIAMS.

